Sheet metal treating machine



Nov. 24, 1942.

c. s. WOOLFORD SHEET METAL TREATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1940 4Sheets-Sheet l MJJJELH MUUUT 154. CLEANING AND LIQUID 72CONTACT WITHSOLIDS Nov. 24, 1942. c. s. WOOLFORD 3 33 SHEET IETAIJ TREATING IACIIINEI I Filed Feb. 28, 1940 4 Shedts-5h0et 2 I I V l I I l I I I l l I04CLEANING AND LIQUID 72 CONTACT WITH SOLIDS Nov. 24, 1942. c. s. WOOLFORDSHEET METAL TREATING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 154.CLEANING AND LIQUID Q 7 2 CONTACT WITH SOLIDS Nov. 24, 1942. c s woo o2,302,730

SHEET METAL TREATING cams Filed Feb. 28, 1940 '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fig" 49/ 0 o i o o o o o @QQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQQ Patented Nov. 24, 1942 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE SHEET METAL TREATING MACHINE Custis S. Woolford,South Orange, N. J., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y.,a corporation of New Jersey Application February 28, 1940, Serial No.321,325

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to a machine for treating metallic sheetmaterial and has particular reference to preparing such material for canmanufacture or similar purposes wherein sealed joints or seams areproduced and wherein the sheets are deoxidized preparatory to sealing ofthe seams.

In can manufacture, sheets or strips of steel or iron, usually referredto as black plate, are coated with tin to produce the well knowncommercial tinplate so widely used in the manufacture of tin cans. Cansmade from tinplate are first blanked out and the blanks are formed intotubular shape. Edges of the blank are joined in a side seam to producethe tubular can body. Such a side seam.

may include an overlapping or an interfolding of the blank edges andthese edges may be soldered or welded together to make a tight joint.

For some products, the use of untinned black plate has been suggested inthe manufacture of cans. However, it has been found difficult to solderor weld the side seams of such cans because of the oxide surface of theblack plate. The same is also true of some metallic coated sheets otherthan those which are tin coated. Such oxide surfaces may be prepared forsoldering, etc., by deoxidization.

The instant invention contemplates a machine for overcoming thisdifficulty by preparing the blanks in a deoxidizing medium so that theside seam. edge may be readly soldered or welded.

An object, therefore, of the invention is the provision of a black ironor other sheet metal treating machine wherein the sheets are deoxidizedpreparatory to being formed into cans and as an incident to having theiredges sealed in a seam.

Another object is the provision of such a machine wherein a liquiddeoxidizing medium may be applied to the sheets to remove the oxide onthem and to thereby prepare them for container or the like manufacture.

Another object is the provision of a machine of this character whereinthe liquid deoxidizing agent may be applied to certain defined side seamportions of the sheets so that these portions, after being deoxidized,may be readily soldered or welded together to produce a tight side seamfor a container made from such a deoxidized sheet.

Another object is the provision of such a machine wherein the deoxidizedsheets are immediately washed with hot clean water in order to remove thdeoxidizing agent.

Another object is the provision of such a machine wherein the deoxidizedand washed sheets are thoroughly dried to prevent them from rustingafter such a deoxidizing and washing treatment.

Another object is the provision of a machine of this character whereinthe sheets to be deoxidized move in a continuous procession through themachine and are subjected to the deoxidizing treatment in progressivestages.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentas it is better understood from the following description, which, takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figures 1 and 2 are longitudinal sectional views which when placed endto end illustrate a machine embodying the instant invention, parts beingbroken away;

Fig. 1--A is a detail transverse section on line l--AlA of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially along the line 3-3 inFig. 1, with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation taken substantially along a planeindicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 2; and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are horizontal detail views taken substantially alongthe respective lines 5-5 in Fig. 1 and 66 and 7-1 in Fig. 2.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawings disclose amachine in which metallic sheet material in the form of can body blanksA are subjected to a deoxidizing treatment prior to the blanks beingformed into container bodies. In this treatment the side seam edges ofthe blanks are passed through a plurality of running streams of a liquiddeoxidizing medium or agent,

such as hydrochloric acid or sulphuric acid which is maintainedpreferably at a temperature of approximately F. The hot acid, coming incontact with the black iron or other sheet material deoxidizes it.

After such a deoxidizing treatment the acid which adheres to the blanksis washed oil with hot clean water maintained at a temperature ofapproximately 180 F. The blanks are passed through a plurality ofrunning streams of the water to effect this washing operation. Thewashed blanks are then thoroughly dried, first by jets of hot air whichis played upon the moving blanks, and second by heat which is radiatedagainst the sheet surface by radiant heaters. After this treatment theblanks are discharged from the machine to any suitable place of deposit.

The blanks A to be deoxidized are preferably fed into the machine intimed order from a supply of such blanks retained in a magazine N (Fi l)disposed at the entrance end of the machine. The magaz ne includes aplurality of vertical angle iron guide rails l2. preferabl four innumber and arranged at the corners of the blanks the bet er to retainthem in a stack.

The lower ends of the guide rails |2 of the blank ma azine. are securedto a fiat tab e l4 which is supported on a structural steel sub-fra e 5secured to a plurality of base rails Hi. The stack of blanks in themagazine is supported on too of the table.

The blanks are adapted to be fed in iv dually and in timed order fromthe bottom of th macezine. For this pur ose there is provided a pai of saced and para lel lon itudinal feed bars l'l having spring held feeddogs |8 at in ervals alon their lengths. The feed bars slide in T-slntsl9 formed in the top of he table I4. These ba s a e reciprocated by alink 2| which is actuated n any suitable manner in time with the othermoving parts of the machine.

The actuatin link 2| is connected to an arm H 22 which is mounted on across-shaft 2 ca ried in bearings 24 secured t legs 25 of the subam |5.The outer end of the arm s connec d hv a short link 26 to a clevisbracket 21 secured to both of the feed bars l'l.

Hence when the feed bars I! move throu h a forward stroke under themagazine H. a hair of the feed dogs l8 engage behind th low rmost blankin the stack and carry it forward away from the magazine and deposit itat an idle sta ion.

The removed blank remains at the idle sta ion while the feed bars moveback on the return stroke. On the next forward stroke of he f ed barsthe removed blank is advanced anoth r step by a second set of the feeddo s l8. This ad.- vancement of the blank brings it into he path oftravel of a continuously moving endless chain conveyor 3| (Figs. 1 and2).

The conveyor 3| primarily com rises two s aced and parallel endlesschains 32 (see also Fi 3) formed of connected links 33 having longprongs 34. There are two prongs on each link and at their outer ends theprongs meet and are secured together by a rivet 35. This con truc iongreatl v strengthens the prongs and makes them more rigid.

The convevor cha ns 32 take over a pair of driving sprockets 38 (Figs. 1and 3) dispos d ad- Jacent the feed-in end of the machine and thenextend horiozntallv alon an up er run toward the op osite or dischargeend. At the discha ge end of the machine. the chains take over a pair ofmain idler sprockets 39 (Fi 2i and then extend downwardly and inwardlyat an ang e to the upper run where thev take over a pair of smallauxiliary idler sprockets 40 and return toward the entrance end of thmach ne along a hor1- zontal lower run. At this end of the machine thechains take over a second pair of small auxiliary idler sprockets 4|(Figs. 1 and 3i and then pass up at an angle toward and over the drivinsprockets 38.

The driving sprockets 38 are mounted on a short cross-shaft 45 which isjourna ed in bearings 46 carried on a pair of spaced. horizontal supportrails or channel beams 41. These rails extend nearly the full length ofthe machine. At the entrance end of the machine the rails are supportedon the sub-frame l5. At the discharge end of the machine they aresupported on a pair of tie rods 48 which are bolted to the machine basel6. Intermediate the length of the rails they are bolted to cross-beams49 the ends of which are secured to vertical legs 5| of a structuralsteel main frame 52. The legs are bolted to the machine base IS.

The main idler sprockets 39 are mounted on a cross-shaft 55 which isjournaled in bearings similar to the bearings 46 and are secured to thechannel beams 41 at the discharge end of the machine. The auxiliaryidler sprockets 40, 4| are mounted on cross-shafts 56 which are carriedin bearing brackets 51 bolted to the channel beams 41.

The conveyor is actuated by a chain 6| (Figs. 1 and 3) which takes overa sprocket 62 carried on the driving sprocket shaft 45. The chain may beactuated in any suitable manner operating in time with the other movingparts of the machine.

Hence as the conveyor 3| travels up over the driving sprockets 38 theprongs 34 of the conveyor spread apart in radial fashion as shown inFig. 1. It is while the prongs are in this spread position that a blankA. being advanced by the feeding mechanism. is introduced into theconveyor and is received betweena pair of the spread prongs. Thereceived blank is carried upwardly over the conveyor driving sprocketsby the prongs from a horizontal position into a vertical position asshown in the figure. During this elevation of the blanks they are guidedand shifted transversely into processional alignment by curved guideplates 65 which are secured to the top of the feed table l4.

When the prongs 34 and the blanks carried between them come into thepath of travel of the straight upper run of the conveyor, the prongsclose in. i.e., move from their spread positions and come into verticalparallel positions. This change in position of the prongs clamps theblanks between adjacent prongs and thus holds the blanks firmly whilethey are carried through this portion of the machine. It should be notedthat the holding of the moving blanks is effected near theirlongitudinal center so that their projecting vertical outer edges willbe fully exposed. It is these edges which are to be incorporated in theside seam of a can body made from the blank and it is also these edgeswhich are to be sublected to the deoxidizing treatment hereinbeforementioned. This treating of the blank edges is done while the blanksmove along the upper run of the conveyor as will now be described.

The protruding vertically disposed side seam edges of the blank Acarried by the conveyor first move through the deoxidizing section ofthe machine where such localized portions of the blank are subjected toa plurality of small streams of the hot deoxidizing acid. These streamsof acid issue from deoxidizing nozzles 66 (Figs. 1. 2i 3 and Si whichare arranged in a longitudinal row and which are disposed above the pathof travel of the blanks and in line with the side seam edges thereof.There is a row of nozzles along each side of the machine. I

The deoxidizing nozzles 66 are secured into the bottoms of a pair ofmanifolds 61 which extend nearly the full length of the conveyor 3|.These manifolds are supported on cross-bars II which are secured to thelegs 5| of the main frame 52. Each manifold is formed with a transversepartition wall '|2 which divides the manifold into two compartments l3,14. The first of these compartments, indicated by the numeral 13, isadjacent the feed-in end of the 154;. CLEANING AND LIQUID 72CONTACT WITHSOLIDS machine and constitutes the acid or deoxidizing agent receivingmanifold. The nozzles 66 communicate with this compartment 13.

The deoxidizing agent which is here indicated as a liquid, is receivedin the compartment 13 by way of an inlet pipe 16 which is threaded intothe outer end of the manifold adjacent the upper portion thereof. Thispipe leads from any suitable source of supply of the hot deoxidizingagent. A longitudinal screen 11 is provided in the deoxidizing manifoldbetween the inlet pipe and the nozzles to facilitate distribution of theincoming cleoxidizing liquid to all the nozzles.

Thus as the deoxidizing liquid flows from the nozzles 66 it falls insmall streams across the path of travel of the side seam edges of themoving blanks A. Since the moving blanks are maintained in a verticalposition the deoxidizing liquid runs down and saturates both sides ofthe blank edges. The streams being small in diameter the area of theblank which is to be deoxidized is restr cted as desired. In the instantcase only the edge of the blank for a distance inwardly of aboutone-quarter inch is treated.

The fl wing acid runs down the blank edge along substantially a straightvertical path and drips off the bottom edge of the blank.

The excess deoxidizing agent which runs off the passing blanks is caughtin a trough 8| which extends under and along the path of 1' travel ofthe blanks on each side of the machine. These troughs are secured to theouter longitudinal edges of a fiat plate 82 (Figs. 1. 2 and 3) which iscarried on spacer blocks 83 secured to the cross-beams d9. pair oftracks 84 in which the upper runs of the conveyor chains 32 operate sothat they will be maintained in a straight line path of travel.

The troughs Bi merely prevent the used acid from splashing back onto theblanks and is not intended to be used as a receiving tank. The acid soreceived. however. flows out of the troughs through holes 86 formed inthe trough bottom and this a id is caught in a receiving tank 81 whichis disposed below the troughs. ceiving tank is supported on the conveyorsupport beams 41. Outlet pipes 88 located in the bottom of the tankadiacent each end thereof are provided for carrying the used acid to anysuitable place of depos t.

In order to prevent outside air currents from deflecting the fallingstreams of acid with consequent splashing of the acid over the surfaceof the blanks, the entire upper portion of the machine is preferablyencased in a hood 9! Fi 3). This hood comprises th n sheet metal top andside walls 9'-!, 93 which are secured to longitudinal channel beams 95which extend along the top ed e of the acid receiving ank 81. The

ends of these beams ar secured to the crossbeams #19 of the main frame52.

Certain kinds of deoxidi'zin liquids will break up into vapors or gasesupon heating and in order to prevent accumu ation of such gases withinthe hood 9!. a suitable ventilation of the hood is desirable. For thispurpose on air intake conduit 9'! s provided in the hood and extends thefull length there f. The ends of the c nduit are secured in the upperend walls of the hood and are open t file outside atmosphere. Spacedholes 98 are f rm d in the conduit alon i s entire length so that airmay be drawn into the hood.

The air is drawn through the conduit 9! by way of a fan located in acasing 99 which is mounted The plate also carries a The re- 1 on top ofthe hood. The fan casing communicates with a pair of sheet metal outletconduits Hll wh ch extend down adjacent the sides of the hood and areconnected into the hood by way of short exhaust pipes I02.

Hence when the fan is in operation, air entering at the top of the hood9| by way of the intake conduit 91 is gently circulated through the hoodin the directions generally indicated by arrows and is drawn out at thebottom of the hood through the exhaust pipes I02. The air continues onup through the outlet conduits NH and is exhausted by the fan to theoutside atmosphere or to any suitable place of discharge. This gentlecirculation of air through the hood keeps it free from any gases whichmay otherwise accum late therein.

As hereinbefore mentioned deoxidizing of the side seam edges of theblanks is followed by a washing operation in a succeeding washing orrinsing section of the machine, which thoroughly removes any traces ofthe deoxidizing agent from the blanks. For this purpose there isprovided a plurality of washing nozzles I05 (Fig. 2) which are locatedabove the path of travel of the blanks and in line with the side seamedges of the blanks.

The washing nozzles I05 on each side of the machine are preferablydivided into two groups of eighteen nozzles arranged in a pattern bestshown in Fig. 6. These nozzles are secured in the bottom of a watermanifold being a part of the manifold 61 which encloses the compartment14 and separated from the acid compartment 13 by the partition wall 12.Clean hot water is introduced into the water compartment by a servicepipe Hi6. One end of the pipe is threaded into the end of the man foldwhi e the other end of the pipe leads from any suitable source of supplyof water.

Hence the water introduced into the compartment 14 of the manifold,issues from the nozzles I05 in small streams which flow over the acidtreated surfaces of the blanks as they pass along with the conveyor 3|.The arrangement of the nozzles is such as to spread the washing waterover a greater portion of the blank adjacent its edge than is treatedwith the acid so that removal of all acid is positively insured.

The used water runs off the lower edges of the moving blanks and iscaught in troughs I08 (Fig. 4) which are identical in construction withand function in the same manner as the acid troughs 8|. The watertroughs I08 empty into a water tank I09 which is an extension of theacid tank RT and i"- e a a cd f"om t v a. parti ion wall H I. In thebottom of the tank there is formed an outlet pipe H2 (Fig. 2) which maylead to any suitable place of discharge for the used water. An overflowpipe H3 is also provided in the tank to prevent flooding of the tank incase the water should flow into it faster than it can be carried off bythe regular outlet pipe. This overflow pipe may also lead to anysuitable place of discharge for the used water.

While the treated and washed blanks are still carried by the conveyor 3!th y are advanced through a dryin section of the machine and thoroughlydried to free them of all water. his prevents rusting. As hereinbeforementi ned. this drying is dOne by heated air and rad ant heaters. Theheated air is blown ont t e moving blanks from above by a pair of airheads ll! (Figs. 2 and 7) which are located one on each side of themachine and just above the path of travel of the washed portions of themoving blanks. The air heads are secured to the frame cross-bar H andare preferably set at an angle, as best shown in Fig. 7, so that theheated air is projected downwardly across the path of travel of theblanks, thus progressively stripping the adhering water outwardly towardthe edges.

Each air head I I1 is formed with a row of small and closely locatedapertures H8 which communicate with the interior of the heads. Hot airunder pressure is introduced into each head by way of an inlet pipe II9. One end of the pipe is threaded into the head while the other endleads from a suitable supply of the hot air.

Hence while the wet blanks pass along below the air heads II1 aplurality of small jets of hot air issue from the apertures H8 andimpinge against the blanks. The apertures purposely are located closetogether so that the combined jets of air issuing from them willconstitute a sheet of air instead of a number of individual jets. Thissheet of air blows a great deal of the water off the blanks andsimultaneously evaporates what remains in order to leave the blanks dry.

To make further assurance that no water remains on any part of theblanks, they are cari ried by the conveyor 3I through a region of themachine drying section which is affected by radiant heaters I (Figs. 2and 4). These heaters are preferably located adjacent the air heads H1.The drawings show two groups of such heaters. one on each side of themachine. Each group of heaters is mounted in a deflecting plate I26secured to the channel beams 94 (see Fig. 4).

Each heater group preferably comprises five rows of heaters with threeheaters to a row and each row is connected by a feeder pipe I21 with amain gas supply pipe I28. Such a pipe leads from any suitable supply ofgas fuel. Valves I29 are provided in each of the feeder pipes so thatboth the number of heaters used and the amount of opening for each maybe obtained as desired. A main service valve I30 in the main supplypipes I28 gives further regulation of the gas used.

When heaters I25 are in operation heat from both sides of the machine issimultaneously radiated across the path of travel of the blanks. Theentire blank is subjected to this radiated heat and therefore any wetportion of the blank is i mediately dried. In some cases. as when smallor narrow blanks are being treated both forms of drying elements are notrequired and only one will be used.

Drying of the blanks completes the deoxidizing treatment and the blanksare thereafter discharged from the machine. This discharging of theblanks is preferably done as the conveyor 3| passes over the main idlersprockets 39. While passing over these sprockets the conveyor prongs 34again spread apart in radial fashion and thereupon release their hold onthe blanks. As prongs leave the upper run of the conveyor (Fig. 2) theypass from a vertical position, through a horir ntal position and into adepending position. Thus he deoxidized blanks are also shifted intoposition at the time they are released for discharge.

To facilitate the di charge of the blanks from the convevor. a pair ofstationary transversely spaced curved dischar e rails I35 (Figs. 2 and4) are located adjacent the chains 32 and are bolted to the longitudinalconveyor beams 41. These rails are outwardly and downwardly curved andlocated relative to the endless conveyor so that when a blank is carriedover the main idler sprockets 39 the inner edge of the blank engages therails with the result that the blank is pushed by said rail engagementradially outwardly from between the conveyor prongs as best seen in Fig.2.

As the blanks are removed from the conveyor 3| they fall onto aplurality of moving endless discharge belts I31 (Figs. 2 and 4) whichcarry the blanks to any suitable place of deposit. In the drawings thereare shown four of these belts and they may be of any desired length.

The discharge belts I31 take over driving pulleys I38 and idler pulleysI39. The idler pulleys are carried on a cross-shaft I4I which isjournaled in bearings I42 secured to the conveyor beams 41. The drivingpulleys are mounted on a driving shaft I44 which is journaled inbearings I45 bolted to the conveyor beams 41.

Actuation of the driving pulleys I38 is effected by an endless chain I41(Fig. 2) which is operated in time with the conveyor 3|. The chain takesover a driving sprocket I 48 which is mounted on the conveyor idlersprocket shaft 55 and over a driven sprocket I49 which is carried on thepulley shaft I44.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages. the formhereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a machine for treating metallic sheets to permit soldering andwelding thereof, including in adjacentrelation a deoxidizing section, awashing section, a drying section and an endless conveyor forcontinuously advancing the sheets therethrough: the improvementcomprising means disposed in said deoxidizing section in the path oftravel of said sheets for ejecting a stream of a liquid deoxid zingmedium against localized edge portions only thereof to deoxidize suchportions. means disposed in said washing section in the path of travelof said sheets for ejecting a liquid washing medium against saidlocalized edge portions only of the sheets to remove said deoxidizingmed um after the deoxidizing operation, and means engageable with saidsheets for removing the same from the conveyor at the discharge end ofthe machine.

2. In a machine for treating metallic sheets to permit soldering andwelding thereof, including in adjacent relation 2. deoxidizing section,a washing section, a drying section and an endless conveyor forcontinuously advancing the sheets therethrough: the improvementcomprising means for clamping the sheets in vertical position on saidconveyor for continuous advancement through the machine, a nozzledisposed in said deoxidizing section in the path of travel of saidsheets for ejecting a stream of a liquid deoxidizing medium againstlocalized edge portions only thereof to deoxidize such portions, anauxiliary nozzle disposed in said washing section in the path of travelof said sheets for ejecting a stream of a liquid washing medium againstsaid localized edge portions of the sheets to remove said deoxidizingmedium after the deoxidizing operation, means disposed in said dryingsection in the path of travel of the sheets for drying the same afterthe deoxidizing and washing operat ons, means for releasing saidclamping means, and means engaging said sheets thus treated fordischarging the same from the conveyor at the exit end of the machine.

3. In a machine for treating metallic sheets to permit soldering andwelding thereof, including in adjacent relation a deoxidizing section, awashing section, a drying section and an endless conveyor forcontinuously advancing the sheets therethrough: the improvementcomprising means for clamping the sheets in vertical position on theconveyor, a nozzle disposed in said deoxidizing section in the path ofand above said sheets for ejecting a stream of a liquid deoxidizingmedium downwardly against localized edge portions only thereof todeoxidize the same, a nozzle disposed in said washing section in thepath of and above said sheets for ejecting a stream of water downwardlyagainst said localized edge portions to remove the deoxidizing mediumafter the deoxidizing operation, means including an air nozzle disposedin said drying section in the path of and above the sheets forprojecting air downwardly against said localized edge portions of thelatter for drying the deoxidized and washed sheets, and means fordischarging the sheets thus treated from their clamped position on theconveyor at the exit end of the machine.

4. In a machine for treating metallic sheets to permit soldering andwelding thereof, including in adjacent relation a deoxidizing section, a

washing section, a drying section and an endless conveyor forcontinuously advancing the sheets therethrough: the improvementcomprising nozzle means disposed in said deoxidizing section in the pathof and above the moving sheets for projecting downwardly a stream of aliquid deoxidizing medium between said sheets and against localized edgeportions only thereof to deoxidize the same, a nozzle disposed in saidwashing section in the path of and above the sheets for projectingdownwardly a stream of water against the deoxidized edge portions of thesheets to remove the remaining deoxidizing medium, a plurality of spacedelectrical radiant heating devices disposed in said drying section onopposite sides of the path of travel of said sheets for radiating heattherebetween in lateral directions to all portions thereof to completelydry the deoxidized and washed sheets, and means for discharging thesheets thus treated from the machine.

5. In a machine for treating metallic sheets to permit soldering andwelding thereof, including in adjacent relation a deoxidizing section, awashing section, a drying section and an endless conveyor forcontinuously advancing the sheets therethrough: the improvementcomprising nozzle means disposed in said deoxidizing section in the pathof and above the moving sheets for projecting downwardly a stream ofliquid deoxidizing medium between said sheets and against localized edgeportions only thereof to deoxidize the same, a nozzle disposed in saidwashing section in the path of and above the sheets for ejecting astream of water against the deoxidized edge portions of the sheets toremove the re maining deoxidizing medium, an air drying nozzle disposedin said drying section above the sheets for projecting air downwardlytherebetween to dry the sheets, radiant heating devices mounted adjacentsaid drying section on opposite sides of the moving sheets forprojecting and radiating heat laterally therebetween from oppositedirections to further dry the sheets, means for discharging the sheetsthus treate'd from the machine, a hood enclosing such portions of themachine as contain the said streams of liquid to prevent air currentsfrom disturbing and deflecting said streams, and means for ventilatingsaid hood and for drawing ofi gases generated by said deoxidizingmedium.

6. In a machine for treating metallic sheets to permit soldering andwelding thereof, including in adjacent relation a deoxidizing section, awashing section, a drying section and an endless conveyor forcontinuously advancing the sheets therethrough: the improvementcomprising a manifold disposed in said deoxidizing section extendinglongitudinally of the machine above the path of travel of the sheets forreceiving a supply of a liquid deoxidizing medium, a row of nozzlessecured into said manifold and arranged to project said deoxidizingmedium in continuous vertically directed streams along a straight linelongitudinally of the machine so as to contact localized edge portionsonly of said sheets to deoxidize the same, a water manifold disposed insaid washing section adjacent said deoxidizing manifold and inlongitudinal alignment there with, water nozzles secured to said watermanifold and arranged to project continuous vertically directed streamsof clean water over a greater area relative to the edge portions of thesheets than is covered by said deoxidizing streams, to wash residualdeoxidizing medium from all portions of said sheets, and drying devicesdisposed in said drying section adjacent said water manifold and in thepath of travel of the sheets for drying the same after said deoxidizingand washing treatments and while the sheets are being carried by saidconveying means.

7. In a machine for treating metallic sheets to permit soldering andwelding thereof, including in adjacent relation a deoxidizing section, awashing section, a drying section and an endless conveyor forcontinuously advancing the sheets therethrough: the improvementcomprising a plurality of outwardly projecting prongs disposed in spacedrelation on said conveyor for conveying and clamping therebetween sheetsto be treated while in a vertical position and resting on one edge onsaid conveyor, means disposed in said deoxidizing section in the path ofthe moving sheets for projecting deoxidizing liquid along a verticaledge portion of a said sheet while the same is carried by said conveyorto deoxidize said edge portion of the sheet, means in said washingsection for rinsing off the said deoxidizing medium after it hasperformed its function, means at the entrance end of the machine forspreading apart said chain prongs to permit the insertion of sheetstherebetween, means for successively feeding sheets to be treated tobetween said prongs, means at the discharge end of the machine forsimilarly spreading apart said prongs to unclamp the sheets, and sheetengaging devices at said machine discharge end for forcing said sheetsoutwardly from between said prongs as the latter are spread apart.

CUSTIS S. WOOLFORD.

LUUH

